Help Your Employees Keep Fluffy in a Breakup

Think back to March 2020 – when you likely sent many employees home to work remotely. During this time, you might have seen a number of employees all come to a similar conclusion: it’s a great time to adopt a new pet. In fact, nearly one in five households adopted a pet during the pandemic¹, and 70% of unmarried US consumers report sharing a pet with their partner.

Many Employees Are Stressed About Their Pets if They Breakup

But now, years later, many things have changed. Employees are now back in the office, and you’re able to see first-hand the stress their lives may bring into the workplace. And a large source of stress can include situations like a breakup or divorce. No matter what your employees are facing, when they’re going through a tough point in their relationship, it can include nerve-racking conversations, like deciding who gets to keep the animal. Almost 51% of unmarried couples say they don’t have a plan for their pet if they break up.

And with this comes a rising number of disputes. Will just one person retain custody, or will both partners share custody? Who will pay for food, vet visits, grooming and treats? Who gets to make the medical decisions? Your employees will have to consider all of these things, on top of dealing with their job.

So what happens if one of your employees is involved in a disagreement about a fluffy family member? They may start by trying to talk it out with their former partner. In most cases, they’ll be able to come to terms that both parties agree to. If negotiating doesn’t work, they could bring in a third party or an attorney to help come to a compromise on an agreement. If your employee and their former partner cannot come to an agreement, they may have to get the court involved. In many legal cases, a judge in small claims court will decide on a custody agreement.

The Paw-sibilities of an Animal Custody Agreement

If your employees are hoping to avoid a pet dispute turning into a legal situation, they could consider creating an animal custody agreement. In this agreement, similar to a child custody agreement, partners will outline many important details. They typically provide custody information – including a schedule if the couple decides on joint custody – financial obligations for each partner, an outline for who gets the final say in medical decisions and more. And the best part of creating an animal custody agreement is that the terms can technically be agreed upon before partners separate, so it can help avoid any potential disagreements in the future.

So as you begin to evaluate your benefits for next year, consider how legal insurance can help. It can give members access to experienced network attorneys who can provide assistance when your employees want to create and review legal documents like these. And if they run into a bump along the way, a legal plan may also provide legal counsel and representation.

For more information on a legal insurance plan from ARAG, contact a member of our sales team.